We Found Out Just How Well High-Performance SUVs Perform on Track

The BMW X5 M and Range Rover Sport SVR are similar machines: European luxury SUVs with all-wheel drive and blown V8s. Yet they are different animals. The X5 M is essentially a tall M5, happiest on a racetrack. The SVR is still a Landie. It dreams of picking its way along hilly two-tracks and clambering over fallen tree trunks— although this dream has an F-type soundtrack. Which approach yields faster laps is clear. It's harder to decide which is more entertaining.

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2015 BMW X5 M

Andrew Trahan

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A ruthless and effective performer. One differential can send twin-turbo V-8 thrust to either axle, and the other sends torque side-to-side at the rear. The result: devastating power on demand and shockingly quick laps for a 5305-pound SUV. The X5 M feels crisp, if heavy and clinical. Four-wheel drifts sure are fun.

2015 Range Rover Sport SVR

Andrew Trahan

With a plush suspension and a high center of gravity, the SVR is a handful on track. The rear end hops across apexes, and every direction change is as violent as a roller-coaster ride. It's not that fast, but you feel like you're breaking the sound barrier.